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There was more than a grain of truth in some critics' assertion that President Joe Biden's arrival in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 16, was a campaign stop that came a year too late to do any real good for residents of that community. Nevertheless, he did visit and praised the "Herculean efforts" to rebuild at the site.
"We're not going home, no matter what, until this job is done, and it's not done yet," Biden said of the federal government.
Good. Let us hope he and the heads of agencies involved continue to fulfill that obligation.
But the visit provided an opportunity for Biden to address another point:
"While there are acts of God, this was an act of greed that was 100% preventable," Biden said after local officials briefed him on the cleanup and took him to the site of the derailment. "Let me say it again, an act of greed that was 100% preventable."
A National Transportation Safety Board report last spring showed the fiery derailment in East Palestine was caused by an overheating bearing on one of the railcars. Shortly after the derailment, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and JD Vance, R-Ohio, sponsored legislation that would require stronger protective measures and safety reforms for trains carrying hazardous material.
Most members of Congress showed where their true loyalties are and have done nothing with the bill. During his visit, Biden called on them to pass the legislation; and to make sure no one will have to pay federal taxes on compensation they received from Norfolk Southern.
On those matters, they should listen to Biden. Railroad companies have cut corners to the detriment of communities such as East Palestine for too long -- and they appear to have no intention of stopping. Nor, it seems, have they let up pressure on their friends in Congress.
Rail safety reform is a no brainer. Then again, given that we're relying on Congress on this one, maybe that's precisely the problem.